Upper Grand District School Board
Parent Involvement Committee
Minutes of Meeting on Monday March 30, 2015
In Attendance
Parents: Sara Dick, Kathy Watts, Wendy Bauman, Vikki Brown, Lorrie Wren, Rosemond Anim-Somuah, Barb White,
Mollie Loughran, Darren Hale, Katie Lamarre, Bruno Lamarre, Michelle Watterson, Maureen Oesch, Shon Scott-Clark,
Heather Janes, Rene Chumbly, Cindy Gibson, Deb Drake, Kathryn Selves, Megan Taylor (remote),
Board Personnel: Martha Rogers, Brent McDonald, Martha MacNeil, Mark Bailey, Barb White, Linda Busutill, Andrea
Higgins
Community Member: Heather Bailey
Guest Speaker: Linda Benallick, Superintendent of Education and Cheryl VanOotegham, Principal of Program
Regrets: Tammy Flemming (Speaker for Board Strategic Plan team)
Minutes Written by: Wendy Bauman
Welcome and Introductions
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Welcome to all extended, and all present introduced themselves.
Approval of Agenda: Heather Janes, Mollie Loughran
Approval of Previous Minutes: Maureen Oesch, Mollie Loughran
Board Strategic Plan: Linda Benallick, Cheryl Van Ootegham
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3 yr plan 2010-2013 needed to be revised
vision: Lead, Learn, Inspire... Together
mission: develop student learning skills, foster achievement and well-being, create positive and inclusive
environment
guiding principles: learning with confidence, learning through collaboration, inspiring all voices
committees, survey of stakeholders - all aligned
goals: achieving excellence, ensuring equity of access and opportunity, promoting well-being, enhancing public
confidence
goals align with Achieving Excellence document by Ministry of Education
goals align with Foundations for a Healthy School document by Ministry of Education
now: input is needed for collaboration
mission vision, goals of board --> board improvement plan for student achievement (BIPSA) --> school
improvement plan for student achievement (SIPSA)
thus Board Strategic Plan aligns with Ministry and with BIPSA and SIPSAs across Board
Activity: groups of three - using BIPSA and copy of Strategic direction, reflect on the goals established in the
2015-2018 Strategic Plan and Operational Plan; provide input and feedback - Also, how do you feel about
change from "energizing staff" to "promoting well-being"
Next Steps: collate data share with Martha Rogers, determine follow-up with respect to communication, finalize
plan
Minds in Motion: Joanne Smyth
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runs Minds in Motion Learning Centre in Guelph (http://mindsinmotion1.ca), Brain Gym consultant, previously
an elementary teacher
works with children with diagnosed challenges, especially reading
noticed that athletic children have difficulty with focus, self-regulation, auditory processing, visual processing seemed to be a connection
Brain Gym works for anyone of any age (baby to elderly)
Brain Gym
o under umbrella of educational kinesiology
o developed by Paul Dennison - noticed that certain movements help kids with their learning
o 26 movements - from vision therapy, yoga, dance, early developmental stages info
o neural plasticity
physical skills of learning: Right and Left hemispheres, in stress the non-dominant hemisphere shuts down and
we become "one-sided" and not accessing full brain; more time we spend in one-sided state, the more stuck we
become. eg. child stuck in decoding (L-brain) and not taking in meaning or word patterns
stress: different for different kids - back part of brain takes over, not much in frontal cortex (thinking part) - kids
get stuck in this back brain stressed state
Brain Gym - through movements, you activate all parts of the brain
Foundational skills (primitive reflexes - automatic motor responses, physical skills, visual processing, etc.) for
learning need to be solid for academic skills to develop eg. primitive reflexes may be retained (aren't integrated)
or can re-emerge - interferes with learning
BG is one way to support development of these physical skills of learning
BG helps kids to notice and be aware of their behaviours so that they can then change these behaviours
"Learning Loop": some things are automatic (e.g. ride a bike) and we can layer those skills and 2-3 at once; other
things require us to stop and think and we can only do one of those things at a time. If you are out of the loop,
you feel anxious, confused, angry, frustrated, etc. Empowers children to self-regulate and develop executive
function skills - out of loop? then need to make a change/ do something and come back to the activity - e.g
Brain Gym
Brain Gym "allows learning to flow through my brain", "helps me to concentrate", "helps me to get on track and
makes me not sad"
BG Activity: Positive, Active, Clear, Energetic (PACE)
o Energetic - sipping water
o Clear - brain buttons - one hand massage under collar bones, other hand on tummy , eyes relax, switch
hands
o Active - cross crawl - stimulates vestibular system (sense of balance) - opposite hand and leg
movements - activate R and L hemispheres
o Positive - hook ups - cross arms in front, clasp hands, and pull under towards chest, cross feet; fingers
press together/ twirl fingers
BG Activity - move head side-to-side - massage outer ear, rolling them back - now have greater range of motion
of head side-to-side
movement based learning program - beneficial for all
appropriate for classroom setting - e.g. before a math instruction to get kids back into the game
some similarities to Occupational Therapy activities
Handout provided re PACE
recommended book: Smart Moves by Carla Hannaford
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website: Brain Gym International (www.braingym.org)
Joanne provides workshops that includes Brain Gym activities (PRO Grant opportunity)
Joanne also has full-day workshop: Switched on Learning - for parents and teachers (PRO Grant opportunity)
Joanne also tutors and works with seniors (especially with dementia)
Chairs' Report
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PRO Grants for 2015 - 2016
o submission deadline is Tues May 19th
o Co-Chairs are happy to help with those who would like guidance or ideas
o still focussing on math strategies
o can group schools together and combine monies
o work with Ministry Initiatives and your school's SIPSA
Dufferin parent support network - free parenting workshops - www.dpsn.ca
People for Education - new pupil accommodation guideline for school closings; upcoming events (website)
Guelph youth music centre - Do Re Mi Music In-School Education Programs interactive music program - $125 for
school workshop Gr 1-8, also JK/SK workshop - and ties in with Medieval Madness curriculum (Gr 4) www.gyymc.ca/programs.html
PIC website has list of PRO Grants received by schools this year
John McCrae had a presentation about children and anxiety - Dr. Nicole Brown - how parents can help their kids
John McCrae also had a math night
Reminder: A Gazillion is Not a Number event on Thurs April 16th at King George - Dr. Lynda Coglan - RSVP to
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Lynne McInnis by Tues Apr 7 - part of a PRO Grant - parents only (Thurs. Apr 16 Dr. Lynda Colgan- Math
Presentation – King George PS 72 Lemon Street, Guelph 5:30-8:00pm)
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PIC Event - Chris D'souza guest speaker about inequity/inclusivity - please RSVP by April 7th - in Fergus - hoping
for one Admin, a teacher, a SC Member and additional parent - may have room for 5th or 6th - break-out
sessions after (Thursday April 30th PIC Spring Event, Centre Wellington District High School, Fergus
4:00pm – 8:00pm)
Treasurer's Report
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spent $50 since last meeting
Communication, Questions, New Business, and Final Remarks
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Thurs. Apr 16th Dr. Lynda Colgan- Math Presentation – King George PS 72 Lemon Street, Guelph 5:308:00pm
Thursday April 30th PIC Spring Event, Centre Wellington District High School, Fergus 4:00pm – 8:00pm
Math event at Mono Amaranth school - teachers and SC put on a math night for their families - student led and
kids explained the math - paid for by PRO Grant - also had weekly math activities leading up to the event - a lot
of staff involved - two staff in each of 5 rooms
Linda Busutill - SEAC (Special Education Advisory Council) - wondering if we can work more collaboratively
together - combine calendars
Maureen - Ross Green is coming to JF Ross on Thurs Apr 9 (7-8:30pm) about collaborative problem solving author of Explosive Children - no registration required
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Child and Youth Mental Health Week beginning of May - "SUPER" Social connection, Uplifting emotions,
Personal health and well-being, Emotional calming, Resilient thinking - package coming to all schools with
activities for each day of May 4 to 8, elementary to secondary
Rick Mercer was at Ross for winning the “Spread the Net” Challenge.
Rick Mercer was at Skills Canada
Mitchell Woods Math Night, April 28th, 6-8 teacher led
Next meeting: Monday, May 25th, 2015 at 6:45pm, 500 Victoria Rd., Board Office, Guelph